By Chris Robinson
During a quick break at last weekend's 'Action Heroes' card at the MGM Grand Garden Arena, I ran into good friend and welterweight hopeful Rashad Holloway. It had been a while since Holloway and I touched bases and a lot has been going on with him. Holloway was in town to check out his stablemate Paulie Malignaggi, who went on to defeat Jose Miguel Cotto over ten rounds, and gave me and update on everything with his life.
Last November Holloway suffered the second defeat of his career as he dropped an eight-round nod to Metro Manila's Dennis Laurente at Cowboys Stadium on the Manny Pacquiao-Antonio Margarito undercard. Looking back on that loss, Holloway revealed that it was a blessing in disguise and something he has taken to heart, with his motivation still in tact towards having a prosperous 2011 year.
Read on for Holloway's thoughts on training at the Wild Card, checking out his good friend Manny Pacquiao train for Shane Mosley, his thoughts on tomorrow night's Andre Berto-Victor Ortiz clash, his own future, and more...
Big things...
"Everything's good. Just signed a new managerial deal and we're going to be doing some big things this year. We're looking at getting a couple fights, knocking the rust off, and jumping in there and fighting somebody in the top ten and getting my name back out there."
Life at the Wild Card...
"Wild Card has been the same we have a lot of prospects, a lot of contenders. Everybody is getting ready for a fight. We have 'Kid Chocolate' Peter Quillin in there, Shawn Porter is there, Manny is there, Ray Beltran, there is just a gang of fighters. I couldn't even tell you. The atmosphere is real electric."
Catching up with Manny Pacquiao...
"Manny is there between two and five. I saw him on Thursday, I saw him. I sat in and he was pretty good. He did seven rounds. He sparred three with Karim Mayfield and three with Shawn Porter. He looked pretty good. Freddie wants me to spar with him and I will give him a week at best because I have my fight to get ready."
Shaking off the loss to Laurente...
"I shook it off. It was one of those things where I pretty much know what the situation is and I know why the outcome was the way it was and because of that I made some changes for my career and I've learned a lot from that fight. That loss was a big turning fight for me."
Victor Ortiz's chances against Andre Berto...
"I think Berto is a lot faster than Vic is used to but I think Vic is a lot stronger and a lot more real of an opponent than Berto is used to. Vic's not a small guy. He's a legit 147-pounder. It's going to be a fight and I think it's a matter of who catches who first. I give Victor a good puncher's chance and I give Berto a good boxer's chance."
Favoring Pacquiao over Mosley...
"I always stand firm in what I believe. I know Shane real well and I have a lot of respect for Shane. Manny is my boy and I think it's a good thing for boxing as far as two classy guys fighting each other. I just want to see the best man win. Manny's at his best right now and Shane's coming off of two bad performances but sometimes that brings something special out of you. I think boxing needs a good show but all in all I think Manny comes away with it."
Working with Freddie Roach...
"Freddie trains me full time. It's an honor and a privilege. Freddie Roach, the best trainer in boxing; he doesn't hold the title because of the prestige and the amount of recognition he has training Manny. He's a hell of strategist. He's the best strategist I ever met in boxing."
